Seesaw and toy vehicle



T. B. KEOGH AND L. F. CAUMONT.

SEESAW AND TOY VEHlCLE;

7 APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1920.

1,396,437. Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

nvmvron 5 THOMAS E KE H ATTORNEYS T. B. KEO GH AND L. F. CAUMONT.

SEESAW AND TOY VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1920.

1,396,437, Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. my

INVENTUR 5 THOMAS 5. KEOGH ,4 TTOR/VEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS B. KEOGH AND LEON F. CAUMONT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SEESAW AND TOY VEHICLE.

1,3SUA37.

Application filed November 4, 1920.

To (1 whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS B. KnocH and Lnox F. CAUMOXT, both citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of the city of Xew York, borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Seesaw and Toy Vehicle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to wheel toys and has for an object to provide an improved construction which will act as avehicle for transporting one or more children and at the same time acting as an amusement device.

Smother object in view is to provide a toy vehicle with a see-saw or walking beam member arranged to propel the vehicle as the children operate the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy vehicle which may be propelled by children while riding and which may be readily folded into a small space when not in use.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side view of a toy vehicle disclosin an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the vehicle shown in 1 after the same has been folded.

F 3 is a front view of the vehicle shown in Fig. 1. Y

4 is a fragmentary sectional view through 1 on line 4-4.

Fig. 5 is a detailed fragmentary sectional view through Fig. 4 on line 5-5.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view on an enlarged scale of the central part of the teeter board shown in Fig. 1.

.Fig. '7 is a sectional view through Fig. 6 on line 77.

S is a fragmentary perspective view showing the guide for a front brace embodying certain features of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals. 1 indicates a walking beam or teeter board which is preferably notched slightly at 2 and 3 so that a child may readilv sit on the end sections 4 and 5 with the extending through the. notched sections and resting on the various platforms 6, there being four platforms shown as the device shown is designed for two children. The walking beam or teeter board 1 is preferably an ordinary wood board usually about six inches wide and of substantially Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921. Serial No. 421,691.

the same length as the remaining part of the vehicle. This board has a socket fitting 7 rigidly secured to the bottom face at the center as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 Socket 7 is provided with two pairs of upstanding ears 8, said ears fitting into the respective notches 9 provided in the journal bar 10, said journal bar preferably extending through the respective side pieces 11 as in dicated in Fig. 1. The bar 10 is rotatably in the side pieces 11 but is formed integral with or rigidly secured to a depending rod 12 which rod is pivotally connected at 13 to a power link 14, the power link in turn operating a rack and pinion driving mechanism of a well known type. This driving mechanism when reciprocated will rotate the rear axle 16 and as one or both of the wheels 17 may be secured thereto, the vehicle will be propelled in proportion to the speed of operation of the mechanism 15. It will be noted that the rear side pieces 11 are supported on the axle 16 while the front side pieces 11 are supported upon a front axle 18. At the top of the vehicle the side pieces 11 are connected by the bar 10 while near the lower parts they are connected by suitable links 19 pivotally connected together at 20.

From Fig. 3 it will be noted that the pair of links 19 are on each side of the machine whereby the parts are held in proper operative position when in use but may be readily folded to the position shown in Fig. 2 when not in use. said folding action taking place after the board 1 has been removed which may be readily done by a oircct upward-pull.

The front axle 18 does not carry directly the front wheels 21 but said f ont wheels are mounted on stub shafts having verti al pivotal supports similar in principle to the ordinary automobile now in the marke and said stub shafts having a rearwardly ex tending arm to which the cross bar 2? is pivotally connected. This cross bar carries a pin 24 (Fig. 4) projecting into the slot 25 and the arm 26 which is rigidly secured to the steering shaft 27 mounted in the tube 28. The tube 28 is preferably rigidly secured to the axle 18 and is provided with a hollow fitting 29 at its upper end. said fitting having rigidly secured thereto a slotted brace 30. The brace 30 is arcshaped so that the fitting 29 may be swung over substantially in line with. the front rotates with the steering bar 28. A handle structure 35 is rigidly secured to the bar 34- so that the front operator may readily turn the steering bar and, consequently, turn the front wheels for steering purposes.

In operation, when there are two children on the vehicle, one allows his weight to rest on one end while the other stands on his feet whereupon the board 1 tilts downwardly and after it has reached a certain angle the operation is reversed and the child standing on its feet allows his weight to rest on the board 1 while the other child removes his weight from the board 1 by standing on his 'own feet. This action is the ordinary action carried out in the use of a teeter or see-saw. The board 1 merely tilts back and forth on the order of a seesawbut through the action of the rod 12 and link 14 and the associated parts at the rear of the vehicle, said tilting action will cause the rear Wheels to be propelled and, consequently, cause the vehicle to move at a speed proportionate to the movement of the board 1.

When the device is to be stored, the board 1 is removed bodily and the parts collapsed as shown in Fig. 2 whereupon it may be brought into the dwelling of the children using the device or stored in any other desired place and occupy but a minimum space. r 1

What we claim is:

1. A toy vehicle of the character described comprising a vehicle body, a plurality of wheels for supporting the body, steering mechanism connected with the front wheels, driving mechanism connected with the rear wheels, a link for actuating said driving mechanism, a swing bar for actuating said. link, transverse rock shaft secured to said swing bar and a power walking beam normally connected with said rock shaft for rocking the same when the vehicle is in use, said walking beam being readily removable.

2. A toy vehicle provided with a body, a plurality of supporting wheels for the body, means for steering the vehicle, a driving mechanism connected ,with certain wheels of the vehicle, a link for actuating said driving mechanism, a pivotally mounted bar for reciprocating said link, a rock shaft rigidly secured to-said bar, said rock shaft having notches therein, a walking beam or teeter board and means projecting from said walking beam or teeter board fitting into said notches.

A toy vehicle of the character described comprising a vehicle body formed of a plurality of pivotally connected parts, said parts being pivotally connected together at the center of the body, a pair of links connected with said parts and pivotally connected together forming a toggle joint for holding the parts in an operative position'and permitting the parts to be collapsed or swung toward eachother when the toggle joint is brokema plurality of wheels for supporting said body, a steering mechanism for steering said wheels, a driving mechanism connected with the rear wheels, a walking beam carried by said body, and means for connecting a walking beam with the driving mechanism for causing the walking beam to operate the driving mechamsm when locked.

'THOMAS B. KEOGH. LEQN F. GAUMONT. 

